Merten & Storck Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 14 Piece Cookware Pots & Pans Set,Professional Cooking,Multi Clad,Measurement Markings,Drip-Free Pouring Edges,Durable Glass Lids,Induction,Oven&Dishwasher Safe

There are surprisingly few reviews on this set, so I thought I would do a thorough review from my experience so that anyone looking can make a decision more easily.First off, this is a high quality, and fairly expensive set of cookware, one that should last you for many years to come and perhaps - if properly taken care of - even be a set to pass down from generation to generation. The pans themselves are made of stainless steel with an aluminum core (Tri-ply) for even heat distribution, more rapid heat-up and cooking at lower temps. In my testing these cook extremely evenly and all of the pans I received are exactly flat when set on a flat surface. They cook at a lower temperature than some sets I have had in the past that were not tri-ply.The pans are a brushed stainless steel on the outside and polished on the inside. Very nice looking set overall and can serve as a centerpiece for entertaining.The handles are a stand-out feature on this set, they are large enough and contoured well to get a good grip on easily and I can pour from these with confidence. I have pictured the set in action, one pan with a silicon handle grip from my cast iron pan set so that you can see that silicon grips will fit the handles perfectly. The handles only get hot when put in the oven or if you overheat the pan, so depending on how you use the pans you may not ever get them very hot. Speaking of putting these in the oven they are advertised to withstand up to 600º F although I haven’t tested this.Many sets today come with small (I call them “stick”) handles that while they are not unusable, they don’t inspire a lot of confidence as they always feel like they are going to slip out of the hand.The other feature that makes these handles stand-out is the welded construction, if you’ve been cooking (and cleaning) for a while like I have you will love the rivet-less design - a design usually reserved for the very high-end brands. On this set a spatula can be worked without obstruction and food doesn’t collect and burn around the rivets, making these pans a breeze to clean and polish.On cleanup - a little soft scrub and a sponge and these polish up like brand new, even with cooked on oils, it will take a little longer to get the cooked on stuff off but with a little elbow grease they come out like brand new.You are probably looking at other sets as well, so here are some of the nitty-gritty details of this set:The interior (cook surface) is most likely 18/10 (304) stainless, while the company doesn’t market this I verified that it has nickel in it by using a standard magnet - since a magnet will not stick to stainless steel that has a certain amount of nickel in it - and the magnet doesn’t stick. As some of us know 304 S/S is pretty much the industry standard for the interior surface of cookware these days, whether advertised by the manufacturer or not, some companies in this space are heavily marketing that feature but most modern tri-ply or better quality pans will have this feature.The exterior is some flavor of standard stainless steel, the same as all the other quality brands, so that the pans can be used on induction cooktops — an ever more popular cook surface that we may all eventually upgrade to. While I don’t have an induction cooktop, I verified this using the same magnet and it solidly sticks, so they will work on an induction cooktop.The lids are higher quality than most of the other sets I looked at being glass lids with a metal (I’m guessing stainless) ring around the outside, when you turn them over they have a rubber seal between the glass and ring, and they fit fairly tight on the pan. Most of the other sets I’ve looked at, even priced three times as much as these only had the basic metal lids that just rest on top, which is not ideal as you can’t keep an eye on things while cooking and they tend to move around a lot. The handles on these lids will get slightly warm but I haven’t gotten them hot enough that I couldn’t handle them easily bare-handed unlike the metal lids I've used that can get piping hot.These are the weights of the set I received:1.5 qt Sauce pan - 2 lbs 56 oz with (w) lid, 1 lb 11.2 oz without (w/o)3 qt Sauce pan - 3 lbs 5.7 oz w, 2 lbs 7.2 oz w/o3.5 qt Sauce pan - 4 lbs, 5.2 oz w, 2 lbs 14.6 oz w/o8” Skillet - 1 lb 9.7 oz10” Skillet - 2 lbs 7.3 oz12” Skillet - 3 lbs 2.1 oz11” Wok - 4 lbs 8.9 oz8 qt Stockpot - 5 lbs 14.3 oz w, 4 lbs 10.4 oz w/o, 6 lbs 3.6 oz with steamer insertThese are a full sized set of pans unlike some of the sets being sold, and they are solidly made without being overly heavy like some of the pans that have five or seven layers. While in theory those should cook ever-so-slightly better, in practice there isn’t much, if any, perceivable difference.So why did I go with this set over some of the others?It’s a more complete set, of the same quality, just with better handles/lids and at a lower price than some of the others. This set has the most important pieces most of us need like the 12” Skillet, a good sized stockpot, 1.5 and 3 qt sauce pans and the 3.5 qt braiser/sauce pan is a great size for making things like chili or braising meats. As with most sets this one comes with the rarely (if ever) used 8” skillet, but surprisingly due to the size the 10” skillet is totally usable for cooking for two people.The wok is a fantastic addition, and the one that is currently the most used in our kitchen, it’s size is perfect for making an oriental stir-fry for at least 4 people. As you can see in my picture I only used about half the pans’ capacity as I am only cooking for two. If you cook a lot of different dishes like I do you’ll still need other pieces like a carbon steel or cast iron skillet for high heats, and a non-stick for doing delicate items, but this set comes as close to complete as I could find and I already have a cast iron set and non-stick pieces.Pros:High grade stainless steelGreat handles for a solid grip“look ma - no rivets” - easy to cook and clean600º oven safeBest lids I’ve ever had on any setSet comes more complete than others, some of which cost three times the priceCons:The only one I can think of is the lack of holes in the handle, so if you want to store them hanging from a pot rack this set probably won’t work for you.Overall I would recommend this set, it’s high quality and durable at a decent price for higher-end cookware, and most importantly they cook well and are easy to clean.

I bought these because the price was right, and after admiring the weight and quality in a store (for much more money). While waiting for the set to arrive, I spent some time on YouTube getting to understand how these pans will need to be used (especially the wok), as I know it will not be the same throw-and-go experience as non-stick.I wasn’t expecting cooking to be so easy right out the gate, but these things really perform. The leidenfrost effect is amazing to see in the pan, and once you get that just right, and make sure the oil is hot before adding food, the cooking experience is similar to using non-stick cookware. But it’s not for the impatient, you are going to have to really commit to the prep time before you get the food in the pan.The set is huge, but somehow everything fit in my tiny cupboard, with the exception of the 12” fry pan. I probably could have gotten that under there too, but it’s going to get less use so we’ve tucked that away in the closet for the like two occasions a year we’ll need a pan that large.Cleanup is very easy. If I think anything is going to require scrubbing, I put in some water to boil it off and gently scrape with a wooden spatula, just as I would my cast-iron pans. These tell you up front on the included material NOT to use steel wool or a nylon scrubbing pad (the green side of a sponge) or it WILL scratch your stainless. Technically we can use metal utensils, but that will also scratch and I prefer wood anyway.I’m incredibly happy with my purchase, and actually looking forward to the holiday cooking this year as I’ll get to take nearly everything out for a spin on the stove.

I made the switch to all metal pots and I love it. I love how they sear, how they heat, how they cook my food. My #1 complaint - the lids, because the the handle is made of steel, heat up. And heat up HOT. Sometimes I forget to grab a towel in the groove and moves of the kitchen. Someone advised me to buy silicon covers for this issue but if the manufacturer would make the lids more heat resistant, this would be a 5 star item.

I’ve been in the Food Svc realm for over 25 yrs, both military & civilian as a chef, and I prefer cooking in quality stainless over any other type of pan. In my expert opinion, these pans are top notch & a quality item, especially given the price for the full set.With that being said, these are not pans for those who have no idea how to cook, what oils to use and at what temps they are used for use in a stainless steel pan. If you think you’re gonna walk away and leave these pans unattended, then you’re in for a big surprise. These pans ARE NOT A NON-STICK OPTION! Unless you know how to cook in stainless steel, with the proper oils & temps.I’ve had mine now for about 6 months, and already, a couple of my frying pans are developing a beautiful peanut colored seasoning to them, that has made them near non-stick, but I repeat, THESE ARE NOT A NON-STICK OPTION.NOW..! If you’re someone who lives in their kitchen, perfecting their culinary expertise, shattering taste buds, and you don’t wanna break the bank (bcaz quality pans can cost quality 💰💰💰), then these are the perfect companion to your skills. Plus, being rivetless cookware, you don’t get any cross contamination from food particulates & soap/water residue getting stuck in the rivet heads.So, 5Stars from me for these pans, and good luck to all my fellow chefs out there.Enjoy, use in good health & remember, use high quality, high heat cooking oils & never leave pot/pan unattended. 😎👍🏽